Heart Lessons from Spring Cleaning

With the warmer weather and sunshine, the dust seems all the more obvious gathered on the tables, windowsills, and knick-knacks scattered about.

Plenty of dust also settled in my heart this winter.

I struggled with the early sunsets and cold, dreary days.

As I make natural cleaners to safely remove the dust, dirt, and grime from my floors and other surfaces, I also realize I must invest in a dust removal system for my soul.

Spring is a time of new growth and soul-growth is not to be placed on the back burner.

I revisit our Bible curriculum for what works and what needs improvement. Some of the irritating behaviors in my family need to be addressed. I must remain diligent and beg my Father’s forgiveness for laziness this season.

As I open the windows to let in the fresh air and sunshine and let out the stale air, I also need to air my heart’s grievances in prayer and Bible study as I do some spring cleaning for my soul.

5 Lessons from Spring Cleaning:

1. Prioritize.

I need to focus on on better priorities. Some things have to get left behind for my sanity since I just can’t do it all. I refuse to get caught up in the comparison trap. I really just can’t write all the posts, like all the social media, go to all the field trips, read all the books, decorate all the rooms like Pinterest, buy all the trendy clothes. I must learn to be content within my means and protect my heart from comparison. With prayer and discussion with my husband and family, I can make priority what’s best for our family. And my priority isn’t having my home look like a magazine or museum.

2. No cutting corners.

I must be diligent in completing a task well if I want my children to learn by my example how to follow through. Just like I don’t want to sweep the dirt under the bed or rug, I don’t want to leave heart issues unaddressed to grow into bigger issues later. I need to be a diligent parent and train my children constantly, with love and without nagging.

3. Relationships are more important.

I need to show my kids and husband that they are most important to me (after God, of course) – more important than my smartphone or my blogs or social media or anything else that might become an idol. Just like I want to be hospitable to guests in my home, so I rush around like a madwoman, cleaning and tidying before friends come over – only to apologize profusely for my house that has never been cleaner in years! I’m focusing on the wrong things – the appearances instead of the relationship. If they don’t like me because my house isn’t spotless, then that’s fine. I need to be more like Mary and less like Martha.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103: 13-14

4. Don’t allow dirt to collect.

I can’t get lazy and then become overwhelmed by the task at hand. Sometimes, we create bad situations ourselves with poor choices and call it “from the devil.” Of course, Satan will use all ammunition we give to him, but we must accept responsibility for our actions and the consequences of those actions. This also goes for listening to dirt about others. We should just close our ears to that rather than expressing interest or spreading gossip. If I don’t clean the refrigerator for months, then the task will become overwhelming and take much longer and more elbow grease than if I wipe it down and pay attention to inventory and expiration dates every week.

5. Ask for help for the tough jobs.

When I can’t complete something on my own, I need to turn to Jesus for help. Just like when a maintenance task at the house or yard is too much for me to complete well on my own and I enlist my husband and kids for help, I need to cry to Jesus in prayer when I get overwhelmed with life.

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

I plan to analyze my family’s hearts as I tackle spring cleaning this year!

Comments

I agree with you completely! I’m in exactly the same place. I feel bad when my house isn’t in perfect order (which is never), but I realized this morning that I need to spend more time thanking God for the kids that made the mess than worrying over the work it takes to clean it. Thank you for your post. It was a huge blessing to read!

I need to constantly keep this in mind. My husband is traveling all this month and we’ve been lazy. We cleaned up frantically this morning for lunch guests who didn’t make it today. So I have a clean house and the afternoon is free to enjoy the sunshine!

Oh my goodness i needed this!! Ran across it because the cleaning picture and title and was thinking, yay another way to gain ideas. Not what i expected at all! Great way to start my morning. Thank you for allowing the Lord to speak through you this morning, i cant wait to get out there!!!

I just dropped off my daughter at her sports practice and I’m in the grocery store parking lot (alone! Praise God!), sitting in my car a moment to glance through my messages. You have blessed me today! It is always my prayer that the Lord speaks to someone through my writing! Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a sweet comment to me.